The Way to Win: Taking the White House in 2008 Hardcover – October 3, 2006

No need to cover the authors' arguements since other reviewers have done that so well already. The book presents a thoughtful analysis of the political strenghts and weaknesses of the recent presidential campaigns. It does not cover new ground in its "old media, new media" contrast, but the contrast is well drawn and the conclusions are fair. I thought that the influence of the Drudge Report was overstated... but maybe that is just my liberal soul saying, "How could that be?". I thought that the section on Hillary Clinton was the strongest contribution. It was a wonderful POLITICAL analysis of why she is a good enough candidate and politician to win. The book was at least 50 pages too long (as many of these kinds of books are) but I enjoyed it and learned a few things in the process. It is well worth the read.

This is a great read. Years ago, let's say more than 20, the big problem was obtaining enough information on which to base a decision. Now the problem is filtering out all the NOISE, the excess information that's available via the Internet, books, thousands of magazines instead of 50, television, and cable television. How does one do it? Each of us has to become master of our own information portals.

The beauty of a book like this is that it allows you to make sense of the political arena. It doesn't matter what ideology or focus you come from. You need to make decisions about politicians, leaders, governments, and policies. This book takes you down into the nitty gritty of POWER and INFLUENCE. Who's got it, who wants it, and who's getting it?

In addition to being a great read, this book is an easy read. Both writers are gifted authors, and who could ask for more than that. Co-author John Harris wrote the best selling book, "The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House". It's a pleasure to read someone who knows how to write.

The two authors explore many principal players in the past, and how they did what they did. You know every one of these guys, but you've never known them the way the author is showing them to you. I also went through the entire book without detecting BIAS or PREJUDICE predisposed towards any candidate or advisor.

In this book you learn from everybody. Whether it's Karl Rove orchestrating the winning of five consecutive elections that George W. Bush was involved in, or Dick Morris bringing former President Clinton back from the dead in 1995, and making him a lock-in during 1996.

I was also surprised to find many stories, and anecdotes absolutely knee jerking funny. The descriptions of formula Presidential candidate, John Kerry was nothing short of hilarious, and worth repeating. At precisely the right moment in the campaign, the Republican accused Kerry of being "FRENCH"; you can't stop laughing when you read the surrounding story.

It gets better, they raise the issue of Kerry's hair and that he spent a $150 for a haircut by Christophe. The issue is portrayed in such a way that it kills Kerry politically. They next go after the fact that in some photographs he looks younger than in other pictures - Must be botox injections. You usually don't generate that much laughter in a political book, but this one has it all.

Then there's the portrait of Karl Rove, the so-called "evil genius". The authors do a wonderful job of bringing Rove to life, warts and all, and show him for what he truly is. Rove is a highly competent juggler of many different roles. Where we normally live in a society of specialization, Rove was smart enough while in Texas to perform and understand every aspect of a political campaign. He learned it all, and did not attempt to get involve in a national campaign, until he was able to bring everything he knew from local politics into the main arena, and more importantly get it right.

I promise you that when you read this book, you will learn more about politics than probably any other half dozen to a dozen books you could read instead. Let me give you an idea. They mention the realities of flying throughout the country on the candidates' airplane. It becomes obvious after a while if the candidate is truly up to snuff and competent, or if he's winging it. If the candidate is winging it, he's a dead duck. The reporters know it, and quietly sabotage the candidate unconsciously. John Edwards, the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate in 2004 is an example of a lightweight political figure, and it did cost Kerry dearly.

Mark Halperin goes through former President Clinton's intense involvement with Dick Morris, who now makes a living through the Fox News organization. Morris is generally credited with brining Clinton back from the dead after the disastrous 1994 Congressional elections when the Democrats lost both Houses of government for the first time in 50 plus years.

The authors take you through the steps, one by one, that Morris used to squeeze the , and ultimately destroy Bob Dole. Message after message comes through in this book. If you were running a political campaign, I can't imagine not having a well-underlined copy sitting by your night table at night. Your opponents will be reading this book, and you should be too.

There is a chapter that deals with the difference between the OLD media, television, radio, print journalism, and the NEW media. The NEW media includes the Internet, and Cable Television. The perceptions laid out in this chapter are nothing short of breath taking. You will be floored. You will finally understand how the conservatives came out of nowhere to take this country by storm, and keep it going that way for more than a decade. This is information that a politically involved citizen must know.

If you have any interest at all in understanding the modern political process than you must take the time to thoroughly digest what Halperin and Harris have laid before us. This is a tour de force of the political world. I know both Hillary Clinton, and John McCain will have well used copies before they hit Iowa and New Hampshire in 2008, and you should have one too.

Richard Stoyeck

This book is okay, but these guys are not too brilliant in predicting the future, as they do not mention, a single time, some guy by the name of Barack Obama.

As well-stated by others here, "Way to Win" is 'geeky' and 'for political junkies.' If you're looking for the type of delectable, fascinating 'inside the bus' reporting that is found, for example, in Newsweek's traditionally superb post-election special, well, here is not the place. While authors Mark Halperin and John F. Harris are definitely capable of that oeuvre, here they've produced a more analytical body of work analyzing what has made Clinton (both of them), Bush (43) and Karl Rove successful. Moreover, we're also shown what made Kerry and Gore unsuccessful.

What strikes me is the non-partisan stance of the book - the authors have lots of very positive statements about each of the four main protagonists (the Clintons being one successful pair, and Bush/Rove the other). It says a lot about the authors' ability to dispense dispassionate judgment that they're able to offer readers extensive, constructive looks at Hillary Clinton and Karl Rove without tipping their hands to feeling the least bit of antipathy towards one or the other. That's quite an achievement.

Despite all that, what strikes you at the very end of the book is how much of the book's conclusions have already been rendered irrelevant:

- John McCain is held up as the candidate who should fare best, given his mastery of the book's "trade secrets." [Right now, this looks like a major 'oops' - as I write this McCain has just made dramatic cuts to his staff and has only a small amount of funds in the bank.]

- Mark Warner and George Allen are touted as looking good for 2008. 'Oops' and 'Yikes!'

- Candidates and fundraising heavyweights Mitt Romney and Barrack Obama are nowhere to be seen.

- Rudy Guiliani merits brief attention, but only as an erstwhile senatorial candidate against Hillary in 2000.

Of course, much of that stuff is extraordinarily difficult to predict. It's more an indication of the "strangely fluid political times" (as Fortune aptly pegged it in a recent cover story) than of Halperin & Harris' prognosticating capabilities.